Arrow & Iris
by A Mad Youkai Tea Party
Summary: All Kagome Higurashi wanted to do was help out her old history tutor. How was she supposed to know it would get her involved in a world full of youkai and magic?
1. Chapter 1

It wasn't unusual for Kagome Higurashi to stop in at the local coffee shop on the way home. Especially on day when the weather was poor – which it just so happened to be at that moment. What tipped Kagome off that today could be different was the sight of a certain motorcycle. Well maintained, light pink with purple irises painted on it, Kagome recognized it from her high school years. She hadn't seen it often, since her old tutor had wanted to look professional, but she would always recognize it and its rider.

As Kagome slipped inside, she ordered a hot chocolate and scanned the roon briefly. Her eyes stopped on a girl seated right next to two decent-sized suitcases, which confused her – Ayame's bike was outside, there was no way she could have carried the suitcases with her. And yet, the young woman was definitely Ayame. Her usual dark pigtails seemed a bit disheveled, though the culprit could be the helmet that rested over her white leather jacket. Her clothes were pretty simple - a pink, sleeveless turtleneck, accompanied by white pants that disappeared into dark boots. The final thing Kagome noticed was the intense glare she held towards her laptop. It was almost intimidating.

So, of course, Kagome decided to do what any normal person would do.

"Ayame Kita?"

Okay, so maybe not what _any_ _normal_ person would do.

Ayame turned towards Kagome. Kagome smiled hopefully at her, and within a few seconds Ayame's confused look turned to one of recognition.

"Kagome Higurashi, right?" Ayame smiled, "Been awhile."

Kagome shrugged, "Only three years. Hardly any time at all."

Items were cleared from the table, which allowed Kagome to finally take a seat across from her past history tutor. It was nice to have the knowledge that – despite their short time together and Ayame's other clients – she stilled remembered her. Especially when Kagome had been certain that she would never had passed her classes without Ayame's assistance. The tutor's descriptions and explanations of the past was so vivid and detailed, it was almost like she had actually been there herself. It was what had made her sessions so engaging. Even her grandfather, who had doubts when he got a good look at the young woman's motorcycle, had been impressed by her.

The young woman couldn't put her finger on it, but Ayame always had this vibe to her that she couldn't quite place. It was something that made it feel like behind those kind smiles was something dangerous and wild. Though, perhaps that could be a result from her grandfather's constant theories about Ayame being part of some kind gang or something similar. Still, while the vibe she gave off was strange, she wasn't the only person who had caused Kagome to feel that way. Even with that in mind, she had never felt that she was in danger around her, just that there something hidden about her.

"So, what have you been doing since you graduated? When we last met, you still weren't to sure what path you wanted to take in life" Ayame asked.

"I help out around the family shrine most days, when I'm not practising my archery. I'm also studying medicine" Kagome answered, "What about you? You mentioned that you were doing tutoring sessions due to complications with your previous job, and you needed time to find a proper one."

Ayame gave a tired smile, "I've dabbled here and there. Right now, though, a job is the least of my worries."

"Yeah, I kinda noticed the suitcases... and your bike..."

"I'm going through some family issues at the moment" Ayame sighed, "Really serious, actually. If it weren't for Kouga, I think I'd be in an even worse position than I am in right now. So, when a couple of the guys agreed to help my pack my things, I thought it was best to at least have access to internet and a warm drink while finding a new place."

"They kicked you out?! Some family – it doesn't matter what kind of disagreement you're having, you don't turn you back on family" Kagome snapped.

"It's not exactly that simple. Trust me" Ayame said, "But there's no use crying over it. I got to many things to deal with first."

Kagome felt her blood boil at the thought of Ayame's family mistreating her. It didn't matter how complicated everything was, they shouldn't have abandoned her at most convenient location they could find. Not to mention that they left her to fend for herself completely, with no guarantee she'd even be able to find shelter. Kagome tried to imagine doing something similar to her own brother, but she couldn't think a reason she'd do such a thing. Except for him doing something worth getting arrested for, of course. So, while she may not have all the facts of the situation, she highly doubted Ayame had done something serious. So, in her mind, there was absolutely no excuse for the kind of behavior they were treating her with.

And that was when Kagome made an, admittedly, rash decision.

"Why don't you stay at my family's shrine?"

Ayame looked at Kagome like she had grown a second head, "What?"

"My family's shrine. We have a couple of guest rooms for when family visit, and it would definitely ease the pressure of finding a new place" Kagome explained, "Not only that, but it's in walking distance, so we can't take your suitcases there and then you can come back for your bike."

"I'm not so sure that's the best idea" she replied.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I'd just sleep easier knowing you weren't alone on the streets" Kagome said.

Ayame look thoughtful, "Check with your mother before you make requests like that. If she's alright with it, I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay a night or two."

* * *

**A/N: Welcome to A_rrow & Iris_, my first rare pair fanfic for the _Inuyasha_ fandom. Also my second fanfic for the fandom.**

**I've shipped a lot of rare-pairs in my life. It's part of being a multi-shipper. But, I don't think I have ever shipped a ship that is so rare there are less than ten fanfics out there for the pairing. It's kind of sad, really. And even though my fav ship in the _Inuyasha_ fandom is InuKag, it still sucks that whenever I feel like reading some AyaKag, the only option is to re-read the same five fanfics over and over again. **

**I highly doubt I'm the only one who ships these two together. So, I decided to give everyone who ships these two a new multi-chapter fanfic that they can really enjoy. I've already got eleven chapters roughly outlined so far. And I hope it's going to be good. **

**Intro chapter is short, go figure.**

**Also, biker Ayame ftw.**

**Anyway, here's hoping you all enjoy! The next chapter should (hopefully) be coming soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

Ayame could not believe how lucky she was.

Honestly, what were the chances that she would run into Kagome Higurashi of all people, right after she got kicked out of the pack? When she had first started tutoring the young woman, she had been incredibly worried when she picked up on the girl's reiki. But it appeared that the young girl had simply never been properly trained, despite the fact that she grew up in a shrine. Kagome seemed to notice nothing off, the concealment charm completely negating any and all suspicions she might have had. Not to mention that she had been very keen and easy to teach. She had an air about her that made her presence warm and welcoming. There weren't that many humans that Ayame could really say that about.

And obviously, her kindness knew no bounds. Kagome hadn't even asked what had transpired that lead to her being in the situation she was in. She just had complete faith that, whatever it was, it couldn't have been bad enough to have earned that kind of treatment. Then she had offered her a place to stay, so that she wouldn't have to worry about that for the time being. Ayame felt a little guilty, so she had made a mental note to talk to Rei Higurashi about paying rent. At the very least, she would help with covering the cost of groceries and certain bills.

She still couldn't believe that her pack would have thought so little of her though. Wolves were loyal, to fault sometimes, so the idea that she could have done something so horrible was outrageous. She wasn't a traitor. But there wasn't a lot of evidence to suggest otherwise. The illusions of a kitsune or tanuki would have been pretty easy to undo, they have methods to check for those kind of things. There weren't exactly a lot of youkai who could change the form more convincingly that that. Even if it was some kind of youkai shapeshifter, what it was after was something only the wolves knew was in the possession. At least, that was what most of them had thought, anyway.

Ayame knew how it looked. But at least Kouga had believed her. He was right, it would have been stupid to betray him even if she wanted to – everyone would have known it was her and she'd have been killed almost immediately. Not to mention she had no motivation to do so. She was a leader as well, and was one of the more powerful warriors among the _yourouzoku_.

If only everyone else could think as clearly as he had.

The ride to the Higurashi Shrine was rather quick, over far sooner than Ayame would have liked. As silly as it felt to rely on a machine when she could run faster than it, riding her motorcycle was the only way to feel closer to the past. Ever since youkai had to go into hiding, simple pleasures of life had been stripped. Her motorcycle was the only way she could properly feel like she was truly free. Perhaps it was a slight act of defiance to the world that wanted to force them to conform, but the wolf youkai had never been too keen on giving up what they treasured – whether that be territory, a mate, or something as simple as feeling the wind through your hair as you moved faster than any human could dream.

"Ayame!"

She looked up and flashed a smile at the young woman who ran up to her, "Did you expect me to take longer or something?"

"A little" Kagome replied, "I've never really ridden a motorcycle. Though I've always been a little curious."

"I could take you on a ride sometime, if you'd like? There really isn't many things that can compare to the experience, trust me" Ayame stated.

Kagome's eyes practically lit up, "That would be amazing."

"Just wait until after your first ride" Ayame teased.

"Oh, your room has been prepared" she said suddenly, "Bed made and everything. So, that's all been taken care of."

"Great... You know, I am really grateful for this right? Once this is all over, if you ever need anything, call me and it's yours" she said.

Apparently that had been the wrong thing to say because Kagome's gaze turned fierce, "I shouldn't get a reward for basic human decency. I'm sure you'd do the same thing if the situations were reversed."

_No, I really wouldn't_, Ayame thought, _and not just because it would risk exposing you to youkai.._.

Instead of unwisely opening that can of worms, Ayame just smiled and let Kagome show her around the shrine and her home. Not much had changed during the three years since Ayame had last visited, but it wasn't like the youkai had been able to get a good feel of the layout back then either. The shrine had been well-maintained, she could definitely see how they manage to keep the place running – it would be a beautiful place to host a wedding. The actual house itself was simple, but homey. Though the spare room they had prepared for her had been a bit bare, nothing really furnished it but the bed, but she had expected that. What Ayame hadn't expected was the slight scent of an incoming storm, accompanied by a slight warning pulse of youki. Someone had moved into the neighbourhood since Ayame had last been there, and they didn't like her return.

The Higurashi family had been as welcoming as ever. Souta, Kagome's brother and a middle school student, had seemed excited by her arrival. This was due to her cool motorbike, and the possibility of exploiting her situation for free tutoring sessions in history. That last interest had been shot down by his mother. Rei Higurashi was still a lovely woman with a kind smile, who seemed to always have everything under control. Ayame was always kind of worried around her, it always felt like she knew more than she let on. Kagome's grandfather, Takashi Higurashi, seemed content with her staying, though Ayame could tell how suspicious he was of her. Probably thought that she was _yakuza _or something. She didn't doubt that it was Rei's influence that kept her in line.

Since she had arrived late afternoon, it hadn't been too long before dinner was ready. Conversation throughout dinner had been pretty idle, it had mostly been Souta asking her questions. This had been the first time she had warn something sleeveless around the Higurashi family, so Souta had instantly decided to ask if she had done any martial arts after he had noticed that she was quite clearly hiding something under her jackets and sweaters. Ayame had teased him a little a first, before relenting and mentioning that she had trained with her grandfather for many years before he had passed away. She had casually added that her grandfather's passing happened a long time ago, and she had grieved and moved on, but she had received pitying looks anyway. It had taken a little bit before the conversation returned to normal.

* * *

Ayame waited until she heard the house go still. If she focused her hearing, she could faintly make out the even breathing from the room on the other side of the wall. The humans were asleep. Good. Ayame had noticed something that had bothered her since dinner, and it annoyed her that she couldn't make a move without causing a scene. That had probably been for the best, since she hadn't actually thought about what she was actually going to do. Even now, she still only had a general plan. Everything could change if this escalated to a fight after all, and Ayame wasn't exactly certain how well she match up against this kind of opponent.

She quietly made her way over to the window, opened it up, before she jumped out. It was at that moment where she realized it would have been a good idea to change before going to confront the spy. Especially since her cute 'Donut Disturb' pajama shirt with donut printed pants wasn't exactly the most threatening of her clothing. She then decided that it didn't matter. She could still be intimidating and cute if she needed to be.

It hadn't taken long to find the spy, and Ayame wasted no time. She grabbed him by the tail, and ignored the way he tried to trick her by squirming much ike how a normal lizard would. He really looked like a lizard, and Ayame was almost impressed that he managed to keep his youki supressed so well, especially in such a small form. It would be enough to slip by unnoticed by many youkai. But there was no fooling her nose.

"I'm giving you and your master one warning – stay out of my affairs" Ayame shook the disguised youkai a bit, "I have no intention of harming any of the humans here."

The 'lizard' remained silent, much to Ayame's annoyance, "I better not– "

When Ayame picked up on the scent of the newcomer, she reacted instantly, dropping the lizard and throwing a few of her leaves in the direction of the target. A young girl, appearing somewhere between the ages of fifteen to eighteen, blocked the attack easily enough with the hammer she sported. She neglected to wear any armor or proper battle-wear, instead she donned a shirt with a video game logo and some shorts. She smirked at Ayame, and the lizard went to her side almost instantly as soon as it was released.

"You're a sharp one, huh?" the newcomer greeted.

"And you would be the one who sicked the little dragon on me. Not as impressive as I expected the last remaining member of the _Raijuu Ichizoku_ to be" Ayame replied.

That earned a glare, "So you know what I am. Why not tell me what you are?"

"You can ask the kitsune whose scent lingers on you that question" Ayame answered.

She scoffed at that, "What are your plans with Kagome Higurashi? You seemed pretty interested in her earlier."

"I have no intention of harming her or causing her problems. That's all you need to know, especially since you have no claim on her" Ayame countered.

"I don't need a claim to protect a good neighbour and an innocent girl. Besides, you're risking exposing that entire family to youkai" she argued.

Ayame rolled her eyes, "Trust me, I can handle it. There's no reason for you to get involved."

"Well, as long as you stay at this shrine, so will Kouryuu" she swung her hammer idly as she spoke, "He won't bother you if you're telling the truth. You should barely notice his presence. Though I will warn you – the second I find out you're lying, I'll kill you."

"Your tribe would be completely wiped out the second you decide to start something with me."

Ayame didn't wait for the retort. After she decided that those conditions were the best she was going to get for now, she decided to make a showy exit with a whirlwind of leaves. As soon as she was back in her temporary room, she kept watch for a few hours longer in the night before she retired to bed.

* * *

**A/N: Oh look, an update! Finally!**

**This took a bit longer than I expected. For starters, I am working on another multi-chapter story, so that's a distraction. **

**I also kinda wanna throw in some InuKog into this story. There was a guest review that involved a lot of hate towards 'KaHOEme' and the 'AyaKag' ship, because 'AyaKog' was better. I kinda wanna do it out of spite. I don't know. If anyone thinks that is a horrible idea, tell me in the reviews. Or encourage me.**

**Especially since, ironically, I have a story featuring Ayame X Kouga - _Out of Time_. And I was going to take on a story after that called _Resurrected_, which would have featured Ayame and Kouga with their child. I also had a one-shot currently titled _Fantasy_, which was exclusive dedicated to just AyaKog, planned out to be written sometime soon. So, if this guest had just asked, they would have known about that. And I would have happily talked all about my AyaKog featured stories. But, you know, they were rude. Which just makes me wanna, ya know, spite them a bit more. **

**Either way, definitely not deleting this story or changing this pairing. I mean, it hasn't even gotten to the point where it is shippy yet. I'm getting there, but not until I've properly set everything up so it makes sense and doesn't just appear out of nowhere.**

**Anyway, this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you're always polite, and just ignore fanfics featuring pairings you don't like. **


	3. Chapter 3

The morning came with a certain energy that Kagome couldn't explain, but suspected had to do with their newest housemate. Ayame had been determined not to be a freeloader, and had insisted on helping around the shrine as much as possible. Souta had tried to get her to drive him to school on her motorcycle, but that had been shot down by Rei's insistence that she didn't feel comfortable with Souta not having a helmet. Ayame made up for his disappointment by offering to pick him up from school to buy him an ice cream as a treat on the way home. That had earned Souta's happiness all morning.

Grampa Higurashi had no problem putting Ayame to work around the shrine straight away, as he had many boxes that he had to organise throughout the many storage rooms on the property. Despite how heavy Kagome knew a lot of those items could be (having helped move some of them at one point or another), Ayame had no trouble at all. She carried them with ease and grace; a skip in her step as she worked. Kagome managed to occasionally check up on her from her window while studying, and there didn't seem to be too much trouble between Ayame and her grandfather. In fact, the only weird thing that had happened was that she was pretty sure Ayame had glared at a bush. But she wasn't going to judge that.

Kagome had decided to wrap her studying up early that day to get some extra practice in her archery. Ayame had left to pick up Souta for the promised ice cream, so Kagome didn't feel too bad for dedicating some time to her hobby. Still, she thought about ways to subtly pay her back for all the work she had managed to get done in the time that she had. It almost felt like they were taking advantage of her situation to get free work, and that wasn't the impression Kagome wanted to leave on Ayame.

It was when Kagome decided to have a break that she noticed that something was wrong.

The air was filled with a foreboding energy. It was twisted and suffocating. It put Kagome on edge, as if she knew, somehow, that she was in great danger but could not explain why. She felt the energy come from the front of the shrine, and turned to face it. It seemed like it came from Ayame. She stood there, without Souta, and Kagome noticed that she was wearing a completely different outfit than the one she had left in. The air around Ayame almost made Kagome ill – in a way she had never experienced before. It made her want to inch towards her abandoned arrows and bow.

That wasn't the only thing she noticed though. There was something glowing faintly coming from Ayame. It looked like whatever it was had been embedded in her shoulder, though that was impossible. It had to be. Kagome wasn't sure how to describe the object, but she the word tainted came to mind. As if the glow was usually meant to be different, but something had affected it. The source of the glow was a semi-circular object. Though the edge of it seemed jagged, as if it had once been part of something but then had been broken in apart at the center. It hadn't been a clean break either, and the divide wasn't completely even. This object looked like it was a little less than half of a whole.

And, for some reason, Kagome felt like she needed to get it and protect it.

"Hey" Ayame greeted, "Is something wrong, Higurashi?"

That caught Kagome by surprise, "No, you just startled me... Where's Souta?"

Ayame seemed confused before she quickly responded, "Oh, you know, around. Doing the usual."

"Of course. The usual. What else would he be doing" Kagome replied.

"You seem a little off. Are you sure you're alright?" she continued.

Kagome was saved an answer by the sound of her mother approaching, "Kagome? Are you talking with someone?"

"Mama, could you get my water bottle from the fridge?! I left it inside by accident!" Kagome called.

There was a pause, "Of course, just give me a second!"

_I don't want my family anywhere near Ayame right now,_ Kagome thought, _I don't... I don't even really think this is Ayame..._

Ayame gave her a calculative look before she looked down where Kagome knew her drink bottle actually was. Probably wasn't the best idea Kagome had, as she ad given away her suspicions, but it had been the only thing she could think of. The negative aura seemed to only increase as Ayame sent her a cruel smirk. Fear whelled up in Kagome but before she could move, she noticed the sky starting to grow dark. Storms clouds started to fill the sky, despite it being practically cloudless earlier. There was a rumble of thunder, and something roared from behind her.

A red dragon lunged at Ayame, tearing into her. Ayame didn't scream in pain. She didn't cry in anguish. She didn't bleed either. Instead, she looked surprised, before purple mist poured out of her wounds. The dragon cried out, seemed to sputter and groan before it collapsed. Ayame glared at it now, before she started to change. Her eyes turned a bright scarlet, and her hair grew in length, falling out of it's pigtails. She grew taller, and lost her bust, as her features took on a more masculine edge. The clothing changed as well – now the stranger before her wore an expensive business suit. Kagome watched as the man's injuries healed as well, though Kagome doubted it would have mattered to him if they hadn't.

"This could have been avoided" the man said slowly, in voice that sent chills down Kagome's spine, "But you had to be stubborn."

Kagome didn't get the chance to scream before she was sudden swept of the ground. Tentacles. The man had a mass of tentacles where one of his arms should be. Kagome probably would have made a joke, if she wasn't so busy trying to work out how to survive. That dragon had clearly tried to help her, and it got poisoned, so Kagome really didn't like her odds.

The man tightened his grip, "You don't have many options. I would recommend doing as I say without a fight. If you refuse, I could always start killing your family."

"What do you want with me?!" Kagome asked.

"Your eyes" the man answered, "You're going to use them to find something for me."

"Kagome!"

Kagome was dropped to the ground, as the tentacles that held her were cut off. She looked up to the entrance to the shrine and saw Ayame standing there, with her arm held out in front of Souta. Souta seemed pretty happy to hide behind her. In her hand she held... leaves... but they seemed to work, as the strange man turned to glare at her. Ayame herself didn't seem fazed by the tentacle man who regrew an arm. Instead, she almost snarled at him. And for a second, Kagome swore she saw Ayame have fangs.

Ayame's glare hardened, "Souta, get the sword in my suitcase and use it to protect your mother. Now, and don't leave the house!"

"I had hoped the other members of your pack would kill you. It appears that their leader is more clever than I anticipated" the man stated.

"So you're the one that really killed them! You'll regret making the _yourouzoku _your enemies!"

The man refused to respond to Ayame's threat, instead he lashed out with the tentacles, this time armed with spikes. Ayame dodged the attack, and threw leaves that cut through the offending appendages. That didn't save her; everywhere she jumped, a new attack headed her way and she ended up practically dancing between the whips, throwing whatever attacks she could to decrease the threat. Suddenly, Ayame was wrapped in tentacles restraining her. The man had tricked her. He lured her into a trap where he had left some appendages ready and waiting to stike.

Ayame struggled in her bonds, but soon found it to be useless. She could hardly move, much less attack the bastard that he been the cause of all her current suffering. And she needed to get revenge, for the sake of all those he had killed. But every time she struggled, he tightened his hold. She was certain if he tightened it anymore, her wrists and ankles would snap. Not to mention how difficult he was making it for her to breathe. If only she had carried her iris with her, she'd be able to purify the whole appendage.

"You're more gifted than most of your brothers and sisters" he mocked, "I could put your power to good use."

Then the man's chest burst open, and Ayame was dropped to the ground as the length of his arm was purified. Kagome had used the man's distraction with Ayame to grab her bow and arrows. Her adrenaline made her moves sloppy and rushed, and she hadn't accounted for the wind at the last minute, but she still managed to hit him in the chest. She had been aiming for the glowing spot, hoping it was his weak point, but whatever the glowing thing was, it wasn't a part of him. A glowing fragment of a jewel fell to the ground. And it drew the eyes of everyone.

"So you share more than just her face it seems" and suddenly, a rain of spikes was sent Kagome's way.

Kagome screamed and closed her eyes, certain she wouldn't be able to dodge the attack in time. A rush of air went over her, and suddenly she was swept up into someone arms. She vaguely noticed the odd combination of feeling cool metal and warm fur, before the air twisted around her like a whirlwind. When the air stopped, Kagome opened her eyes and found herself on the other side of the shrine grounds. Ayame had, somehow, reached her before the spikes had, and managed to get out of the way. Sh had also managed to completely change her appearance – Kagome almost didn't recognise her. Her hair was a bright red, her eyes animalistic and green, and she was decked out in white fur with ancient armor.

Ayame growled, which only drew Kagome's attention to her new fangs, as the man retrieved the jewel he had dropped. However, Ayame suddenly looked up, and Kagome was swept away once again on to the roof. A loud burst of thunder sounded, followed by a flash of lightning that directly hit the mystery man. When the lightning cleared, Kagome's neighbour Miss Souten Raimei stood there also garbed in ancient armor (though vastly different than Ayame's own armor), wielding a large hammer as lightning sparked around it. She looked a little different as well – her eyes were red and glowed with power.

_Seriously? What next, is my brother going to turn out not to be human too? Or maybe Buyo will turn into something?_ Kagome thought.

"Naraku! Today is the day I avenge my brothers death" Miss Raimei called, "You'll pay for it with your life!"

The man – Naraku – scoffed, "Your foolishness will be your own downfall."

There was a huge cloud of smoke that seemed to sweep him up, and when it cleared he was gone. Had Miss Raimei scared him off? Or had it been a combination of her arrival paired with whatever had caused Kagome's arrows to harm him so severely? All Kagome knew was that starting from now, her life would never be the same again. And right now, she needed some answers.

* * *

**A/N: Finally, the third chapter!**

**I am really, really happy that there seems to be a (mostly) positive reaction to this story. I honestly didn't expect much when I posted the first chapter of this story. I knew that AyaKag as a ship wasn't too popular, so I really thought that I would be lucky to get a single review that wasn't just hate on this ship. The fact that this fic is getting attention ****– even though it's not very much **– **is just really special. So thank you all for reading and reviewing. It means a lot.**

**The update schedule hasn't been the best recently, since I've recently taken on two more multi-chapter fics for this fandom, bit I'm glad that you guys are willing to stick around. Hopefully the action and the plot introduced in this chapter makes up for it (though I am not too proud of the action scene here... I'll get to work on my action-scene skills in the coming chapters though).**


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